Fall has finally fallen upon us, though you wouldn't know it since we're still dealing with highs in the 80s. Fall means a few things: candy, colors, football, food, and BEER.
Yes, this is the great season of beer. All the breweries (the good ones, anyway) begin to release their Fall seasonals while they are underway on their newest concoctions for the coming year (Dogfish AND Sierra Nevada?! *choir of angels begin to sing the Hallelujah Chorus*. I can't wait for that collaboration beer).
Fall is a time where spices generally dominate, and Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale is no exception. Originally debuted in November of 1994 (before Dogfish Head ever officially opened for business!) in honor of Delaware's Punkin Chunkin celebration event, which took place just this past weekend, Punkin Ale is a brown ale that is usually released right at the beginning of September. It is brewed with brown sugar, spices, and yes... pumpkin meat. I spent more than a month searching to find a 4-pack but I was unable to procure a more abundant study sample for this blog. I (somewhat, because I like the place but not the price) begrudgingly walked on in to World of Beer so I could get at least one glass of my new favorite seasonal. So, down a paltry $7 now, I thoroughly enjoyed the 20 minutes I spent with my beer.* Above is a picture of the cannon they use to shoot the pumpkins at Punkin Chunkin in Delaware - it launches the pumpkins up to 4000 feet!
Appearance: Pours a reddish-orange. The head is off-white, and is about an inch thick. Before I even begin to drink, the head is already starting to leave lace. Lacing is an indication that the beer’s head is holding longer an that the beer is full bodied and fresh. It's generally a sign of a quality beer, and beer enthusiasts use it as a reviewing measure.Smell: The first smell that I notice is cinnamon. There are a few other spices like nutmeg and there's a hint of that brown sugar. You also get some earthy notes, whether those are from hops, malt, pumpkin, or a mixture of those.
Taste: The taste of Dogfish Head Punkin is what makes it so different (and better, in my opinion) than other pumpkin ales. There's a spectrum of pumpkin ales, from spiced-up to basically pumpkin pie. This beer lies toward the pumpkin pie end of that spectrum. You get more of the pumpkin than most other beers, but it retains a wonderful spiciness about it. You taste the cinnamon and nutmeg along with the pumpkin, but nothing stands out over the others. It's very easy to screw up the taste of a pumpkin ale through one overpowering taste, but the balance of this beer is fantastic.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. There's a good amount of carbonation - you get the fizzy feel at first. The beer smooths out as the carbonation mellows. The taste/feel covers your entire palate. A full experience.
Drinkability: This is a very drinkable beer. The IBU rating is only 26, so you're not going to be overwhelmed by hops in this one. However, if you plan on sessioning with this beer, have a DD ready or just hang out with a friend at your house drinking it. It's rated at 7.0% ABV, so it's going to get you drunk after a couple. Trust me, once you drink one... you're going to drink more, so be safe.
Rating: I'm a bit of a Dogfish Head homer, but that's only because they consistently deliver some of the finest beers available. They are true beer geeks and it shows in their brews. Some might be turned off at the notion of a pumpkin beer, but it is a wonderful selection in the Fall and I think Dogfish Head produces the best of them all.
Final score: 95/100.
